


Run at the River

by ywhiterain



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: AU, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-17
Updated: 2010-12-17
Packaged: 2017-10-13 17:41:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/139950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ywhiterain/pseuds/ywhiterain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They meet at the river.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Run at the River

They meet at a river.

"I'm supposed to kill you," Mai said. She was very still and her arms were at her sides.

"You?" Zuko asked. He took a step towards her, but when she narrowed her eyes, he froze.

"Not specifically," she said and watched relief color his eyes. "Azula wants your body. She doesn't care who kills you."

"And my dad?"

"Agreed with her plan." Mai's voice dropped slightly at that.

Zuko's eyes flickered with pain for a brief moment. "Didn't even bother to come up with it himself."

"I'm sorry," Mai said and meant it, even though she didn't mean to say it. She closed her eyes and turned around. "Run."

-

"I've been worried about you," Zuko told her. They were at the same river.

"I'm not the one with a price on my head," Mai said.

"I know how Azula would take betrayal," Zuko said. He brushed his knuckles across her chin.

"I know how to hide," Mai said. She closed her eyes and leaned slightly into his touch.

"I wish you didn't," Zuko said. "I wish that - "

"No use doing that," Mai said. "You need to go."

She watched him run.

-

The third time they met, it was in the forest behind the river.

"Did you get my letter?" Zuko asked. He was standing a few feet away from her and she knew he wasn't leaning against the tree in a poor attempt to look cool.

"Yes," Mai said.

"So you know why I'm doing this," he asked. He was staring at the ground.

Mai closed the distance between them and pressed her palm on his cheek. Using the bottom of her hand, she urged his face up. "I do."

"And that I - "

"Tell me that when you win," Mai said and kissed him and hoped he got that she was saying _I miss you so much it burns._ Her lips were numb when she ended the kiss, but not nearly enough not to feel the warmth of his skin when she told him to run in his neck.

-

The fourth time they meet in the forest, there are no words before she kisses him.

"Is there something going on?" Zuko asked, gasping, when she had pressed against a tree.

"Azula knows where you are," Mai said and ran her hands down his sides. "I wasn't sure I would see you again."

"I'm okay," Zuko said.

"Not for long," Mai said, pulling away from him. "Go back to the Avatar and find a new place to hide. But be careful, because Azula isn't playing a game and she left you alive for a reason."

"Come with me," Zuko said. "If you know that much then..." His voice fell away when she shook her head.

"I can do more when I'm by her side," Mai said.

Zuko walked over to her and grabbed her wrists, eyes wide and angry. "That will get you killed!"

"I know the risk I'm taking," Mai said, her tone flat. "Now go."

He didn't kiss her before leaving. Mai told herself that it didn't hurt.

-

They meet again at the same river.

"How are you?" Zuko asked. He is terrible at hiding, silently is screaming at Mai: _get away from Azula while you can_.

She cuts straight to the point. "She knows I told you."

Mai can tell it's taking everything he has not to grab her and run away. "Did you get away? Having you been hiding?" She knows he's thinking that she's been waiting for him to come back here and save her. He's building a fairy tale in his head.

Mai had always hated fairy tales.

"I am more useful alive right now," Mai said. "She is going to use me." Before Zuko could say anything, Mai held up her hand. "We both know this."

"Then you're going to leave now, right?" Zuko had closed the space between them with several quick steps and grabbed her wrists.

"No," Mai said. Staring at him directly in his eyes, she carefully pulled away from him and said softly, "Run."

"Not unless you come with me," Zuko said, narrowing his eyes and grabbing her wrists again, this time roughly. "I'm not going to lose you."

"I'll be okay, Zuko," Mai said. She knew saying as much was worth the risk even with Azula watching her. "Trust me." She pressed a kiss on his chin and said, lips brushing across his jaw, "Run."

She didn't watch him go, instead, she closed her eyes and listened to the sound of wind brushing across the water. She hoped she'd get to hear the wave again; this time from the ocean waters' crushing against the beach where, if her plans succeeded, she'd see Zuko again.


End file.
